William Tompkins built 307 different model ships at a scale of 1/600. Mr. Tompkins started building his massive collection when he was in his early teens, and he continued to make highly detailed models throughout his lifetime. The fleet of model ships includes a wide array of models that span several decades, if not more, so the collection offers an insightful view of naval evolution over time. A portion of William Tompkins’ fleet of 1/600 scale model ships is on display in the Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum in Carlsbad, CA. His 1/600 scale model of the patrol gunboat USS PT-6 (1937) is shown on the far left in the photo.

Exhibit added: May 6, 2014 - Last modified: January 24, 2024

Presented by The Joe Martin Foundation for Exceptional Craftsmanship